Metatarsal pad



Oct. 30, 1951 H RUDDICKl 2,573,363

METAYTARSAL PAD Filed Jan. 7, 1949 INVENTOR.

HERCHALL H. RUDDIOK Patented Oct. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMETATARsAL APAD Hennen H. nuatuenV cincinnati, `ohio 'Application-January '1, 1949,-seria1No. 69,781

This invention relates to arch supports and more particularly to anarch-support pad having associated therewith simple, yet highlyeffective means for securing it in desired position with reference tocertain portions of the foot.

An object of the invention is to provide an arch-support pad of the typeadapted to be applied to the foot for providing support to themetatarsal arch formed by the five metatarsal bones, and wherein lightWeight retaining means are provided which engage the foot for securingthe pad in position incident to all movements and motion to or thruwhich a foot is normally subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supp-ort which isconstructed whereby to iiex with the foot Without displacement from itspreselected or predetermined relationship with the metatarsal arch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch-support havingthe hereinabove described characteristics which is fabricated whereby tofacilitate washing, thereby enhancing foot sanitation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a metatarsalarch-supporting pad having means for positioning it relative to the footfor effectively preventing both lateral and transverse movement of thepad relative to the foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad having thehereinabove described characteristics which may be positively secured tothe foot by means which make minimum contact or engagement with the footthereby resulting in a device which is comfortable to Wear and which isunlikely to bind or irritate the foot.

Further object of the invention is to provide a support which isparticularly adapted to be manufactured using modern mass productiontechniques.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andas disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a support embodying the teachings of thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the support of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the support of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a foot showing the support of Fig. 1 appliedthereto.

With reference to Figs. 1,- 2 and 3, it will be noted that the presentdevice comprises a metatarsal arch-support pad Ill, which is soconstructed and arranged as to provide necessary and needed support tothe metatarsal arch portions of a foot as formed by the five metatarsal3 Claims. (Cl. lgs-1665) bones.

In the preferred embodiment, of the nvention, pad I may be fabricated'from sponge rubber, or the like, suitably shaped to properly conformwith the metatarsal arch of a foot, however, I do not intend to limit myinvention to pads fabricated from such material. The present inventionis neither directed to nor concerned with the particular shape of padsI, nor to the manner in which they are fabricated, so long as they arec-onstructed in such a manner as to effectively provide support for themetatarsal arch of a foot. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the pad includes atop or upper surface Il and a bottom or lower surface I3.

A foot encircling band I2 is secured to pad IU and preferably, asdisclosed in Fig. 2, said band extends under the pad to which it issuitably and permanently secured. With particular reference now to Figs.1 and 3 and 4, it will be noted that the foot encircling band l2 engagesor underlies portions of the rear third of pad IS thereby locating saidband in desired relationship with-the five metatarsal bones of the footand to the rear of the st metatarsal phalangal joint. As disclosed inFig. 4, this relationship will locate band I2 so as to encircle the footover the first to fifth metatarsal bones in such a manner as toeffectively resist forward movement on and relative to the foot.

One or more loopsltmay be secured to band I2, as at I6 and I8, whereineach of said lo-ops comprise interphalangeal strapping dimensioned to belocated between various of the phalanges of the toes, see Fig. 4,thereby securing band I2 against rearward movement on the foot, forpositively yet flexibly locating the arch-supporting pad It relative tothe metatarsal arch of the foot.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, band I2 and loops I4 maybe fabricated from light weight, washable elastic thereby providing asupport which is light weight, automatically adjustable to the contourcharacteristics of a foot and which may be washed, after each usage,thereby facilitating maximum sanitation.

As used herein the term metatarsus is broadly used to include orcomprehend the first through fth metatarsal bones, as the term is usedin Fig. 275, page 260, of Grays Anatomy, 32nd edition. Y

It should be understood that certain modifications in the structuraldetails of the device mayv be made within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A support of the class described comprising a metatarsal archsupporting pad, means for positioning said pad on a human foot againstlateral movementI and other means for positioning said pad againstlongitudinal movement, said last mentioned means comprising elasticinterphalangeal strapping connected with and on opposite sides of saidfirst mentioned means.

2. A support ofthe class comprising a metatarsal arch supporting pad, anelastic band secured thereto dimensioned to circumscribe the foot, and apair of elastic interphalangal straps connected with the band onopposite sides thereof.

3. A support of the class described comprising lo a metatarsal archsupporting pad including top and bottom surfaces, an elastic bandsecured to the bottom surface thereof forming a closed loop extendingaround and over the top surface of the pad from which it is spaced toencircle a foot at the metatarsus, and a pair of elastic,

laterally spaced, substantially U-shaped interphalangal straps extendingin the same direction from said band, one end of each strap secured tothe band adjacent the bottom surface of the pad, the opposite end ofeach strap secured to portions of the band which extend over the topsurface of the pad.

HERCHALL H. RUDDICK.

REFERENCES CITED Y The following references are of record in the `fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,785,185 Day Dec. 16, 19302,099,401 Jungmann Nov` 16, 19371 2,416,823v Day Mar. 4, 194'? 2,533,601McCormick Dec. l2, 1950

